9 Dawns before Christmas
by ThistleSnowAngel
Summary: !Revised! They say the heavens will grant you one wish if you complete the 9 masses before Christmas. It sounded simple enough, but having to wake up at dawn to go? That's a challenge. With a hopeless romantic heart, you gave it a whirl, only to meet the one you'd call 'that perfect guy.' Is your wish really coming true? (Tadashi Hamada x Reader)
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Happy holidays everyone! I hope you enjoy this short fan fiction. For those who aren't familiar of _Misa de Gallo/Simbang Gabi_, please do take some time to search and read about it! ^^

_I will be posing a **new chapter everyday**, as it is a countdown to Christmas._

I will be basing these out of Seito's Christmas prompts (found here: seitosokusha dot tumblr dot com slash post slash 103946047123)

I hope you enjoy it! ^^

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**December 16th: Tuesday**

_Theme: 20. Sleigh/Sled_

"I should have slept."

You scolded yourself, rubbing your hands together for heat. Your thick clothing wasn't enough to fend off the cold mid-December dawn, but your heart was warm to its core as the season of Christmas spirit spread like an epidemic.

The sun wasn't up but the church was full of people. People of all paths of life came to celebrate the _Night Mass_ at 4 in the morning. For those who aren't aware, it was a questionably odd sight, but for devout attendees, this dawn event was tradition. It was a countdown to that special holiday and, some also believe, probably a chance for a personal wish to come true. Many had their sentiments for going to the novena masses, and for you, you hoped for the latter meaning to be true.

Snowflakes gently fell and made shimmering Christmas lights look softer. You stood at the church courtyard a few feet away from the doors, hearing the clear words of the priest from the nearby speakers. You never expected to see so many people up at this time of day, although you already heard it from the news. Because of certain reasons, it's your first time to participate in the tradition and that makes this experience extra special: the excitement, anticipation, and hopefulness are all packed in one.

You sat down on the concrete plant box, adjusting your knit gloves. Shivering from the cold gust of wind, you fixed your scarf and closed your coat. The night was unbelievable, but bearable. People yawned and heads lulled as the mass continued. As much as anyone wanted to go to this mystical tradition, no one would be surprised to see people asleep while standing. The moment some lean on the wall, their minds would drift away into dreamland. But you didn't mind the wake. In fact, you haven't slept the night in the fear of missing the mass. A few hours earlier you were bored in your room, playing songs from your phone just to stay up though brain-dead. But now, you just had to endure the next 8 dawns to get "one free wish."

And that wish was to get the perfect guy.

"Man! Were those hills aweeesoooome!"

A man howled as he sat next to you, holding up an iced-up metal sled. His overalls were covered in a thin sheet of snow and his cheeks were red from the cold. His green beanie was sliding of his brown hair and his eyes were dropping. Two other guys came with him and patted the ice off him. "Fred, keep it down. We aren't supposed to be here," the one with dreadlocks said as he straightened the man's beanie, but only to be swatted away.

The other male chuckled and fixed his coat. "Don't you guys want to stick around? It just started," he shrugged, removing his cap and fixing his scarf.

You observed that male as he exposed his perfect white teeth, smiling as the other cracked a joke. His black hair was flattened smooth from his cap, a weird combination of straight and a mess. His eyes gleamed with concern and purity as he looked at his two companions. His cheeks were rosy and skin looked soft as he rubbed his hands on his shoulders.

There was something intriguing about this man, and you just can't lay your finger on it. The man with the baseball cap had something oddly attractive.

Having the habit of being stuck in your thoughts, you didn't notice the trio walking away, bringing along with them their frosted sled. You watched the man's broad shoulder move as they approach the gates, his scarf flowing in the wind. You felt pained somewhere in your chest at the thought you'll never see him again, and at the same time, the wrap around your neck started to tighten more and more. You looked down to find it being tugged in the direction of the group. You tried pulling it, but the sound of slightly ripping cloth made you stop from tugging any further. The other end snaked around your neck and was almost loose, so you hurried to the stuck end to fix the problem.

"Excuse me! Excuse me," you called out and the three males turned around. As you gazed at each of their faces, you locked eyes with _him_. He was tall, probably at around five feet ten. His arms weren't as muscular as his dark-skinned companion, but he definitely didn't look like skin and bones. Shaking off the thoughts, you tried to find the reason to speak. "Hi," you greeted, "my scarf's stuck on your sled." The one called Fred extended the sled to you, but had almost dropped it on your foot as he nearly collapsed on the crisp white snow. The muscular friend instead held the sled for you.

"Sorry about that," the man gently smiled as he gestured you to pull out your scarf from the rails. You attempted to pull the end of the now brittle cloth off the cold metal. Pulling it could possibly separate it, but would also mean to tear the scarf from it. You jerked a little stronger this time and you succeeded. Your scarf was free, yet a little torn. But both of your knit gloves got stuck on the ice, and your arms were to stay outstretched.

"Oh dear," the male sighed as he saw your problem.

You were dumbfounded, and equally embarrassed. As you were about to remove your gloves to pull them out bare-handed, the male with the baseball cap approached you, his brown eyes gazing into your sight as if looking through an open window.

"Here, let me help you." He wrapped his big, warm hands around your clothed ones and gently pulled it off the chunks of icicles on the metal. You felt fingers somehow intertwined with yours in the attempt. But his soft approach weren't exactly effective; you were still stuck.

When he realized what had happened, his eye brows furrowed a little. "Wow, this is harder," he commented, glancing on the tips of the gloves. You nodded. His grip changed and tightened. With his hands over yours, you tried pulling away too, but the ice was not giving up without a fight. After enormous amounts of effort, you and the man had successfully pulled away from the ice. You sighed in relief, but the tips on your gloves weren't left unharmed. There were evident holes and were enough to let your painted nails peek out of the cloth and the frost to graze on your now exposed fingertips.

"Are you okay?"

You looked up to find those warm eyes gazing right at the top of your head. Now the height difference was evident. He was a few inches taller than you, and you can't deny it. The beating in your ears became louder and your heart started to dance in its own pace. The feel of his breath brushed against your skin as he looked worriedly at you. You opened you mouth to speak.

"Tadashi, let's go!"

One of his companions called out, interrupting the words that were now stuck in your throat. His friends were already walking farther away without waiting for him. The man didn't say another word as he held tight on your hands. He turned to you with a smile and nodded, bidding his farewell.

"Take care!" He shuffled away into the directions of his 2 friends, clutching on his coat and burying his face into his scarf.

You blinked a few more times as you watch the group walk away into the distance. They were 3 males: one with brown hair and a green beanie; another with dark-skin, dreadlocks, and a muscular built; and lastly, the other having a baseball cap and the warmest features you have ever seen. You rubbed your eyes and lightly slapped yourself for a few good minutes, just to make sure you weren't asleep. You couldn't believe your eyes. You might just have found him.

For the next 8 more dawns, you wished to have that perfect guy.


	2. Chapter 2

**December 17th: Wednesday**

_Theme: 14. Roasted Chestnuts_

"This is impossible."

It's only been the second dawn and you already felt like giving up. The San Fransokyo winds were colder that morning and everyone shivered outside at the courtyard. You huffed once again and wrapped your thick wool scarf tighter around your neck. After the events yesterday, you decided to bring out all the extra sweaters, scarves, and gloves out of the closet, just in case. You can't have too many, right?

Your fingers intertwined as the warmth of his hands started to linger in your memory. His name was Tadashi, you tried to recall. His warm brown eyes, his broad built, his gentle smile, and most definitely, his black baseball cap. Those were all you had to remember him by and you kind of wished there could be more.

As your mind started to wander off, you looked around the crowded garden and noticed something. Today, people came in pairs. They held each other's hands and snuggled for each other's heat, smiles spread on their blushing faces.

"Of course. Couples," you mumbled to yourself, clutching on your sleeves. You tried to hide that awkward grimace, but the sight of two younger lovers near you made pretending difficult.

Studying at SFIT had been a treat ever since, and you've got to meet interesting people. But at some point, your friends started mingling and building up romance, officially starting serious relationships. You started to feel left out on the experience. They were kind enough to help you hook up, but it was usually a failure and ended off badly. Was it the timing? Was it the chemistry? You weren't so sure, and you'd rather keep it that way. You'd rather use your time for yourself, you confidently defended. You declined most dates and simply called off blooming ones. It wasn't bitterness, you thought. But other saw it like that.

Dwelling on your unfortunate love life made you fail to notice a male approach you, holding a small brown paper bag up to you.

"Hi," the male greeted, startling you, "you might not remember me, but I was from yesterday."

You blinked, trying to comprehend the situation and backing away slightly. He towered over you, his brown eyes watching your every reaction. You looked down to avoid his captivating gaze. His mint green shoes were almost against yours.

"I'm sorry about your scarf and your gloves. Too bad it got stuck on those ice."

You looked up, realizing you overlooked something: the baseball cap snugly fitted on his head.

"May I?" he asked as he stood next to you. You nodded and tried to look at him now that you were once again close enough to brush against each other's shoulders. He opened up the bag in his hand and offered it to you. "Roasted Chestnuts?"

You stared at it for a while. You weren't supposed to eat at church. You looked around to find another familiar sight: people asleep at where they stand. You sighed and took one, just for the heck of it. It won't go wrong, you hoped.

"I'm Tadashi." You turned to find his hand offered to you. His smile was genuine and his eyes glistened from the lights, letting the butterflies in your stomach go wild at how unrealistic he looked. The tint of red on his cheeks made it look like he was blushing, and his round ears were also started to be coated in color. The blood in your head felt like it was going to burst as you gently took his hand.

"I-I'm-"

"Mochi!"

A shout cut you off. The tired patrons rolled and awoke from the sound of running. An orange cat scurried quickly through the snowed pathways; a white robot chased the feline, his arms outstretch to its direction, and not long, a boy half the robot's height followed. The courtyard suddenly came abuzz as the cat squeezed itself through tiny little gaps like in between people's legs. It was crazy!

"I-I gotta go," he said, exasperation laced on his voice. Surprised by the sudden events, you couldn't utter a word. The sound of chatter filled the winter air as the feline woke everyone up. Tadashi shook his head. But before he left, he enclosed the small bag into your hands and smiled reassuringly. "For you, take care!"

He left hurriedly and disappeared through the buzzing patrons, leaving you puzzled and alone. It all came as a surprise to you: Tadashi, and that cat. Even though it had to end so suddenly, you couldn't help smiling at the item in your hands, feeling the warmth of the treat inside. That was one more thing to remember him by and hopefully, the long list will continue. Maybe the grudgingly long nights before Christmas wouldn't be so silent after all, you thought.

For the next 7 more dawns, you wished to have that perfect guy.


	3. Chapter 3

**December 18****th****: Thursday**

_Theme: 9. Santa_

Your wish meant nothing. They were now just a petty whim. Why? You cheated on Tadashi. You betrayed your perfect guy. And what was worse, you had cheated on yourself.

At least that's what you think you did.

Bells jingled and carols were chanted: Christmas spirit filled the shopping district and it was pretty impossible not to get into the vibe. The morning winter sun hid behind the soft, thin clouds up at the sky. It was a perfect day for a walk along the snowy paths of city and

Standing out from this whimsical ambience was a lady with her shoulders slumping, and eyes staring blankly through the crowds. The look on your face was dreadful as passerbys glanced at you. You could say you look like a dead man walking, only definitely prettier. You couldn't blame them if they deliberately distanced themselves, and their kids, away from you. You'd do the same if you were them.

But you weren't, and they weren't you. You are just the plain hopeless romantic you came to be, sulking through the day as the _Night Mass_ didn't go so well as you expected.

There was confusion in your heart as you looked back at it now. Where was Tadashi? Was he in the courtyard or was he in the church? If he was there, did he saw you? Or maybe he did and just avoided you? These questions had no end and didn't even give you a chance to breathe in and smell the warm cookies down at the nearby bakery.

"Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!"

The low chiming of the handbell made you stop in your tracks. Your thoughts have finally been silenced, only to be replaced by the ringing and the cheering. You looked up to find the very familiar figure, complete with the beard and the red suit, greeting everyone.

"Santa Claus," you said to yourself as you observed his delightful expressions.

"Yeah, he sure lost a lot of weight since last year's holidays," a voice spoke from beside you.

You backed away a little, feeling your heart race and gaining a slight chuckle from the person. "Sorry, did I startle you?" she said, handing you a flyer from her pocket. "I know this is sudden but I'm here to advertise for our cafe just close by." You took the flyer and read out the colorful details.

"The Lucky Cat Cafe presents Winter Poetry Night: a night of relaxation and dreaming, just a coffee cup away..."

"Yup," the woman cheered, "it's gonna be amazing, with all these young performers, and good food. Oh you'll enjoy it, believe me!"

It was a few days before Christmas and you don't exactly have plans made. And you've heard good things about this place from your friends at the institute, so why not? "Sure, I'd give it a try," you smiled sweetly.

The woman hugged you out of impulse and gave you a pat on the back, startling you. "Great!" she said "I'd see you then!" You simply nodded.

Watching the woman run off into the crowd of people, skipping so eagerly, you got lost in your own thoughts again. Maybe you'll meet great people and not feel alone for once? And besides, you weren't exactly destined to end up with Tadashi in the first place, right? You scoffed at the thought, remembering those short moments you had together.

"You know miss," you turned around. "They serve the best roasted chestnuts. They gave out some yesterday!"

Santa smiled at you warmly as you froze on the spot. That statement was enough to give you a shock back into reality, and it looked like there was no time to stay calm this holiday season.

For the next 6 more dawns, you wished to have that perfect guy.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: just a friendly note~ some chapters are long, and others are short. that's all! ^^ I hope you guys enjoy it!

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**December 19****th****: Friday**

_Theme: 7. Snowman_

A slight pain ached on your lower neck and your breathing became stuffy. Something's coming onto you and you started to feel its wake. Your body felt heavy as you dragged your feet through the thin layer of sidewalk snow. Walking in the streets at 3 shouldn't become a habit of yours, but you had to endure for that wish since it didn't seem to be a joke after all.

But those concerns didn't matter compared to the beautiful frosted night in front of your eyes. Gold crawled on the trunks of the trees and little shimmering lights covered the bushes. It looked surreal and mystical as if shining crystals fell out of the dark sky.

You stopped and closed your eyes for a while. It felt like a dream, like out of those romance movies and animes you've watched all before.

_In the middle of the lighted city, the girl stood all alone, eyes closed, feeling the delicate snowflakes melt on her cheeks. The night was still and everything was quiet, except her heart that thumped loudly against her chest. Slowly, warmth spread on face as hands cupped both sides. The moment she opened her eyes, her heart fluttered even more. His eyes lock into hers and their world stopped, the most beautiful thing they have ever seen. They slowly closed in for a-_

**PLOFF**!

A snowball struck you hard on the back, taking back to the reality of the dead San Fransokyo dawn. You turned and saw a guy running away to the park, shouting something as he waved his arms around. Out of sheer anger so early in the morning, you grabbed a handful of ice, chased him down, and threw it at him, hitting right at the back of his head. His beanie flew off and he fell face flat.

"Never mess with me, scum!" you shouted smugly as you stepped on his body with one foot.

"It's you!"

You broke down a cold sweat from the surprised tone behind you. You didn't dare turn now because that voice was so distinct you know who only had it. It may be just a few times you've heard it but...

"Tadashi!" You tried to sound as surprised as he was, but your nervous laugh gave it away. You stepped aside and helped the poor friend up, seeing his face red. You yelped as you apologized and tried wiping of the snow.

"I see you've met Fred," he chuckled, watching you go frantic over his woozy friend.

"I didn't expect her to fight back so hard," Fred laughed, massaging the sore part of his head.

"I told him not to do it."

Another guy appeared and the familiar sight of dreadlocks took you back to the first day of the Night Mass. This must be Tadashi's group during that sledding thing, you concluded.

"He insisted of throwing snowballs and leaving me to build the snowman," he complained, showing off his unexpectedly good creation. "I mean, look! The hair isn't even right!"

You stared at the ice form as it almost resembled a human being: a young boy that would be probably a few years younger. The details were unbelievable; as if it were sculpted in marble. The clothes, the eyes, the hair... it was surreal! This guy must be an artist!

"Nice work making Hiro, Wasabi," Tadashi praised after going around it. The tall man smiled in recognition and thanked Tadashi. Fred, on the other hand, rolled on the snow and made angels.

"That's why I let Wasabi handle it!"

Before the man could retort, a boy came running towards all of you with a bag in his arms. You realized this was the same kid in the sculpture, and somehow, you could tell he resembled someone

"I got the hot bread you guys wanted," he panted as he gave them out. "The cashier was a freaking joke! He sai-" his stopped when he laid his eyes on you. "H-Hi there!" You waved back at him, seeing his goofy smile and cute tooth gap.

"He's our new buddy, Hiro!" Fred jumped up and patted you on the shoulder. "Her name is... uhm." Fred turned to Tadashi. But Tadashi simply gazed at you.

"I'm (name)."

You felt the lingering gazes of everyone around you as had finally introduced yourself, and your heart started to beat faster. Their smiles and greetings were warm enough to soothe the loneliness, and oddly, you felt at home with them.

After a few minutes of chatter about details you didn't expect you'd ever be talking about, you finally gave out. Fred, Wasabi, and Hiro observed the snowman and you walked off a little farther away to catch a breather.

The church was just a few blocks away, and you could already see the patrons piling up at the gates. You could still make it if you invite the guys out, but you wouldn't want to leave them now that you're having a good time with them. Your thoughts were halted by the sound of your stomach rumbling. Oh yeah that's right, you haven't eaten since the last night. Oh that salad wasn't enough at all.

"Here."

Bread came from over your shoulder. You looked up to see Tadashi smiling at you while eating his own. Once again, your heart trembled as you reluctantly took the bread from him.

"My brother bought 5. What a genius he is..." he laughed as he stood next to you. You sighed as your thoughts had been confirmed: Hiro does look like Tadashi. "You can still make it. We'll take you there "

You looked at him in awe midway on your bite. He's nice and considerate, and devastatingly good looking. He looked at you calmly, gazing longer into your eyes as he waited for a response. This should be illegal, you desperately thought. But before you could say anything, he suddenly walked away without another word. You felt your heart ache a little: a chance lost.

"Hey, (name)," Tadashi called you out from behind. "By the way, welcome to the nerd group." He smirked and continued on his way to call the rest of the guys.

For the next 5 more dawns, you wish to have that perfect guy.


	5. Chapter 5

**December 20th**: **Saturday**

_Theme: 11. Cookies and milk_

You weren't feeling good at all. Your head rung and your mind shook, feeling like you'd collapse any minute then. The Night Mass that day was a terrible event as you dragged yourself even lower than yesterday. But you passed it up as you walked up the streets. Today, you decided to check out that little place you hoped would change the holiday pace for you. The event wasn't until tomorrow evening, but you went to see the venue for yourself.

There it was: the Lucky Cat Cafe, complete with its Lucky Cat figurine atop the front door. You stood across the street, watching people come in and out with smiles on their faces. For noontime dining, it seemed like there weren't much uproar inside. As you crossed the street and fixing yourself up, the words of the street Santa came back into mind. Was he referring to... you know who? As much as you'd laugh at the idea, saying his name might jinx the chances of being true, right?

Before you knew it, you were already inside of the cafe, searching for an empty table. The shop felt more like home than you expected. The smell of cake, pastries, and bread filled the air; and the scent of coffee, chocolate, and tea danced along with it. It was impossibly enticing, plus the adorable decorations around the place topped it all off.

But it seemed like you had no hope to stay; every table was occupied by buzzing tenants. You couldn't hold back when the disappointment spread across your face as you hopelessly searched one last time. But no luck came to your side. Just as you were about to leave, someone close by called out.

"(name)! Over here!"

You turned to see a familiar face waving at you. His tooth gap was so distinct it'd be a shame if you'd forget his name the second day.

"Hey Hiro," you greeted as you approached his table. "What are you doing here?" His table was empty and spotless so you guessed he just arrived here too.

"Waiting for my milk and cookies. I'm gonna go insane if I don't leave my room," he chuckled.

"Oh, so you live nearby?" you inquired, clutching on your bag nervously. Hiro blinked before nodding slowly, looking funny at you.

"Go on, take a seat! The table's too big for a kid like me," he joked. Although you felt reluctant since you just met, you happily sat in front of him. You tried not to stare but his calming grin made it easy for you to notice his resemblance with his brother. Hiro had the cheeky and playful glisten in his round brown eyes, while Tadashi had a soft and caring shine in his. Shaking off the inner reflection, you opened your mouth to ask where the older brother was, but your chance was interrupted by a voice approaching your table.

"Here's your order, knucklehead. I still don't get wh-"

"Hey Tadashi! Look who came around!" Hiro smiled cheekily. As if on cue, you turned to wave at Tadashi, plus extra effort not to look too happy to see him, but unintentionally, your eyes dropped to his shoulders, then lower to his chest, then lower... and lower.

"You're wearing an apron..." the words mindlessly passed your lips and only sunk into you when you heard Tadashi's shy laugh.

"Of course! I help our aunt with the cafe."

The day at the shopping district came into mind. That friendly lady you talked to back then. She works here too right? Could she be what you think-?

"Tadashi! Hiro!" You heard the same high voice from your memory and the lady ran towards the table. Her hands were shaking and a wide, bright smile graced her features. "You boys can't believe this! We have a whole rost- oh!" she stopped midway from her good news when she caught sight of you. It was obvious from her growing smile that she recognized you. "Hey, you're the girl from the other day!"

You felt like hiding your face the moment her voice spiked up a pitch. She hugged you from your chair and gave you a pat on the shoulder. "You boss never told me she was a friend of yours!"

"Aunt Cass, this is (name)," Hiro introduced, a smirk evident on his thin lips. "She's Tadashi's friend."

The aunt's eyes caught with the younger one's. It was odd how they just stared at each other for a few moments. Tadashi, on the other hands, was scratching his head, left out from the two's conversation.

"Oh! (name), you're going to tomorrow's Poetry Night right?" Cass asked you, peering to your face until you said yes. You nodded. "Good. Can fill this up for me? I'm gonna keep track of the people just in case." She took out with a basic information form and a pen. "Okay then, I'll serve you up some cookies and milk too! On the house!" she cheered, pulling Tadashi along with her.

After a while of intellectual chatter with Hiro as he indulged himself with sweets, Tadashi came and sat beside you with two servings of cookies and milk. You were surprised as Tadashi took off his apron and placed it on the back of his seat.

"What are you doing?" you asked, trying hard not to blush as he fixed his clothes.

"It's my break," he smiled as he took a bite of the cookie.

Suddenly, Hiro jolted up, surprising the both of you Tadashi. "Aunt Cass is calling me," he said hurriedly, picking up his dishes as well as your filled-up form. "I'll give this to her," he offered with a smile. "I'll get going. The table is all yours you guys. See ya (name)!" And soon, he ran off.

"Is your brother always like that?" you asked, gaining a funny look from Tadashi.

"Most of the time, yeah. But if it were chores he's excited about, then he might have a problem."

You two laughed for a while. Hanging out with Tadashi like this felt quite unusual for some reason. Your heart raced as you exchange stories and topics about this and that. It felt comforting, yet seemed imaginary like it was all too good to be true. Sometimes, you just wanted to have all of these as a long, beautiful dream.

When you stop to take a bite of your sweets, you noticed something you can never stomach in: obnoxious couples. Excessive touching, hugging, kissing: why don't they just get a room, you silently protested. The table next to you made your stomach queasy to the point you just want to flip the table and throw a fit.

"I'll be performing tomorrow for Poetry night."

You turned to Tadashi, who was... blushing?

"Really now?" you doubted at the sight. You've never seen him get flustered like this, nor ever lose his cool and sophisticated stature, and that made you even more nervous.

"Aunt Cass has been bugging me about it for too long. I couldn't say no. And I'd love some c-comments about it. So yeah, I hope to see y-you here okay?"

You stared at him the whole time he stuttered out of his words. He paused and slurred a few times as he thought of the proposal, but it came out cuter than it was. His cheeks were rosy and his hands couldn't stop playing around with the cookie. Did you just think about what this could be? Could he be... asking you out? No, no, you just met. You shouldn't go that far already, you scolded.

"Yeah, of course!" you agreed, making him smile contently. "And besides, I promised her. So I have to." You didn't want to sound actually convinced to your thoughts so you tried saving the excitement.

"Okay then, it's a date!"

Your heart gave in as the last word pierced through every layer inside you. The excitement cannot be contained anymore. Tadashi and you... are already going on a date?

For the next 4 more dawns, you wished to have that perfect guy.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for not posting an update yesterday. Christmas rush is happening at home. *awkwardly laughs* Here's the update for yesterday! I hope it makes up for some lost time ^^;. I'd do the follow-up today as well! So please stay tuned! ^^

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**December 21st: Sunday**

_Theme: 3. Mistletoe_

You kind of cheated on something today. The cringing feeling inside your stomach didn't let you rest as you stared out the frosted window. The snow was falling like feathers outside, and you wished you could go to Church and meet up with everyone. But this time, your body forced you to stay at home.

You wrapped the thick blanket around your shivering body as the cold crept on your skin. It happened: the flu you tried to ignore had taken over. There was no hope now as you sat alone at the window sill in your apartment, seeing the clock just struck 4, signaling the start of the Night Mass.

It was a good choice though. On the way home from the cafe yesterday, the nearby church offered an anticipated celebration for the Night Mass, so you took a chance. Now, you weren't obligated to attend this dawn. Even though you knew that most churches offered that, you'd rather choose to wake up for the whole experience.

And that includes getting sick from the cold.

You're stuck at home as you tried to kill time until you fall back asleep. Your nose was so stuffy you breathe through your mouth, and every time you tried to move, you felt like your head's going to split in two. It felt impossible to keep on living like this, you thought.

The radio played all those classic Christmas songs, helping you slowly get back to sleep. As you tilted your head backwards, you saw a peculiar object on your ceiling. It had red and white berry-like things and its leaves swayed above your head. After staring at long enough, you finally remembered. It was that mistletoe your friends put up for you the last time they visited. It was supposed to be a cute game, but you eventually forgot that it was there as it blended out so well.

You could feel your eyes slowly closing as the heat in you settled in. You gotta have your rest if you want to fulfill your promise and date, right?

But to your surprise, sleeping the whole day wasn't enough to make it all better. The moment you stood up, your knees wobbled and your body ached even more. Oh that's when you remembered, you slept through your medicine as you hoped it was just a bad dream. You looked at the clock and you felt the world crash in an instant. Poetry Night was about to start any minute and you were still in your pajamas, a comfortable mess you were.

You dragged yourself to the bathroom and took a satisfying hot shower. As you came out ready to go, your woozy balance had become worse. You felt like you were about to throw up from the quickened pacing you had, but a bit of pain didn't stop you from walking up the door. Tadashi and his family were counting on you to be there, and you didn't want them to lose trust in you.

As you turned the knob, you reached for your phone in your pocket, only to realize it wasn't there. You turned to find it sitting on the kitchen counter at the other side of the room. Your mind wasn't functioning properly anymore and your senses have finally gone haywire. You aren't you and you're just trying to survive the day without anyone noticing.

As you took your phone, you coughed long and vigorously. It was horrifying as every time you coughed, the aching pain only got worse. The shake of your head sent tremors down your now weakened body. After a few moments, something felt upside-down. Your throat was contracting and the water in you was rising. You ran to the bathroom and tripped on the rag, but made it to your target.

Now, you were dead and definitely felt like dying. You cleaned yourself up after the mess you made and sat on the sofa, cradling your weary head. It was now official: you have became the worst possible friend Tadashi ever had and it will be a shame to even show up to his aunt's cafe. You imagined the saddened look on their faces when you come by the days after that. Oh you can't stand those sweet brown eyes to look down on you with disappointment, and having that disgusted aftertaste of disapproval from his aunt for not keeping the end of your bargain. Now that you can't even leave your own home, you decided to never show up there anymore. It was for the best to forget about these past few days, you concluded. It will end up with another failed relationship anyways.

As you laid back on the sofa to get back to recovering, your phone was left alone and unattended on the cold counter, vibrating the rest of the time you were fast asleep.

You awoke from the stern knocking on your front door. You slowly rose to your feet, still feeling queasy, and by habit, looked for your phone first out of everything else. As the screen lit up, you realized it had only been half an hour passed. As your senses started to refocus, you were alarmed by the number of missed calls and text messages you received. You weren't familiar with the number it was from, which only made you feel more nervous.

"(name)! Open the door!"

The muffled voice on the other side door said, and continued to knock incessantly. You ran to the door to find a face you last wanted to see.

"I've been calling your phone all day! I was wor-"

**SLAM**!

You slid down the door in shock. He can't be here. He shouldn't be here. Out of all the people you could see, why did it have to be perfect guy Tadashi?! How did he even get your number?! Or even the place you live?! And that's when you remembered about that form his aunt gave you.

"C'mon (name). Open the door..." he pleaded.

You got up and fixed yourself a bit, trying to cover up the drool trail and messy hair all together. You opened the door slightly to find Tadashi scratching his head. When his eyes set on yours, he smiled slightly, showing relief in his gaze.

"Good. I got the right address," he softly joked.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to check on you."

Your eyes widened at the statement. "W-Why?"

Tadashi shrugged. "You weren't answering my calls. The event already started and Hiro said you weren't there. I was on my way home so I thought I should stop by."

"Y-You could've just for waited me there."

"I know but-" He noticed your appearance. "Hey, is everything okay?"

You carefully nodded in reply, a little surprised. "O-Of course! I'm fine!" Your strained voice, stuffy nose, and sniffles had given it away all away.

"You're sick, aren't you?" he sighed, rubbing his face with his hand."Aren't you going to let me in?"

As you noticed, the cold breeze outside is ruining the perfect temperature in your room, and Tadashi had been standing out there the whole time. Reluctantly, you let him in, a little embarrassed at how bleak your room was. You never had the time to decorate for the holidays, not even a wreath or lights or even a tree. You just liked keeping it messy with all the papers and schoolwork you had on every surface.

"No wonder you got sick," he said. "You haven't gone into the holiday spirit!" He raised the bags in his hands and laid them out on the table. Christmas lights, ornaments, ingredients, and whatnot all sprawled out, amazing you how they were all managed to fit in there. "As a friend, I will nurse you back to health. I can't leave you here sick, cold, and all alone." He demanded as he smirked at you.

A tear nearly escaped your eye as you felt different kinds of emotions bubbling inside. You never met this kind of person in your whole life, and it was clearly impossible that he was really... real. Unconsciously, you tugged the back of his coat, just to make sure he wasn't in your imagination. The woolly cloth and snowflakes confirmed to your thoughts as your fingers grazed in comfort.

"(name)."

His low voice made it sound like a dream. You didn't want to look up since you weren't ready to wake up yet, but you had to because the distance in between demanded so. Gazing into his brown eyes made you see another world... a better world.

"Do you have extra blankets?"

You blinked at his question. "What?"

"If you have extra blankets in your room, give them to me. I'll make you something to eat while you go get change into something comfortable." He ordered you before turning to the kitchen. As you walked away, speechless, confused, anxious, and downright blushing, you looked back at Tadashi, who was so focused on cooking. What has gotten into this guy, you asked yourself.

After doing everything the male has told you, you came out of your room with the most decent pajamas you could find. A loose set of clothes, a big jacket, and your favorite thick blanket wrapped on your body. Weird enough, your head significantly felt better, but you still had that aching pain whenever you move, creeping down like roots in your body.

But the moment you looked up to your living room, your heart stopped. Your eyes watered from the sight and your knees almost gave in. Lights hung on your walls like tiny droplets of gold shimmering. Some kind of weird structure made out of cloth, blankets, and sheets erupted in the middle of the room. Pillows scattered underneath this structure, and the food was neatly aligned right there. You felt something in you clicked.

"Welcome to your get-better fort!" Tadashi welcomed as he sat down underneath, playing with some of the lights that hung inside. He patted the space next to him. "C'mon, sit down before the food gets cold. Without a second thought, you hurried to his side, trying to hold back everything you felt now. He gazed up at the insides and smiled to himself. "I usually do this with Hiro when he wasn't feeling good." His eyes glistened in nostalgia. "I always thought this was a great remedy when you're sick."

Tadashi looked at you hopefully. There were words his eyes tried to speak as he stared into yours, waiting for a respond. But you coolly ignored it and took a plate. Tadashi chuckled and stood up. Something suddenly hit you as you thought.

"Weren't you supposed to perform today?!" you questioned urgently, feeling like a burden somehow, but he shook his head.

"I asked Hiro to cover for me. Aunt Cass wanted either of us to do it. So now we're on a truce." He laughed as he reached for something in his bag. "And! I didn't just come here to check up on you. I'm bringing Poetry Night with me!" You giggled as he pulled out dozens of poems and cleared his throat as he began reading the poems carefully with emotions.

The radio continued to play those Christmas songs and carols as the night deepened. You two were having a blast playing all these games and telling stories. Your heart felt whole for once when you took a few moments to observe Tadashi. He was genuinely having a good time too, even if you just met by accident. He treated you like you were close to him and going to the any extent just to take care of you. As much as you wanted to believe your romantic thoughts, you simply pushed it back and enjoyed his company.

The clock struck 11 pm. You two laid back by the sofa's feet, stomachs full and tired from laughing. The music made the atmosphere all festive and at the same time awkward. Tadashi sat up and looked at you. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," you simply said, giving him a rough smile. Out of the blue, he reached for you, touching your cheeks with the palm of his hand. By surprise, you waved your arms around defensively, hitting the sticks of your makeshift fort, letting the sheets fall on both of you.

"Oh no! Home base is down!" Tadashi playfully cried as he popped up from the pool of cloth. When he looked at you, he noticed you were beet red and shaking a little. Who wouldn't be, you complained silently. "Your fever seemed to have gone down. And you look a whole lot better than earlier." He sheepishly smiled. But to you, that statement made your heart quake more than the earlier days. Out of embarrassment, you threw pillows at him to divert his attention.

"It seems like the dizziness is gone too!" He cheered as he threw a pillow back.

After a while of bickering, you took a break from your pillow fight. You were satisfied with the care he had given you, and can't wait to go to church later. But you didn't expect those few seconds let Tadashi notice the awkward object hanging right above your heads. "I-Is that..." he stuttered, hiding his unusual blushing face."Is that a mistletoe?"

Your eyes widened, but without a choice, you innocently nodded and looked away, knowing that this night has finally came to an humiliating end. You shut your eyes tight, preparing yourself for the worst: him leaving you. But instead, you heard a light laugh.

"It wouldn't be Christmas without traditions right?"

You opened your eyes and found Tadashi smiling, red tinted to his ears. You were dumbfounded and confused, and in all honesty, you were liking it.

"Well then," he tried to say without stuttering, "we're under the mistletoe. You know what to do," he lastly said before closing his eyes. You did so as well, and as if by cue, with both of you trembling, you closed in.

For the next 3 more dawns, you wished to have that perfect guy that came out of your dreams.


	7. Chapter 7

**December 22nd: Monday**

_Theme: 18. Christmas Lights_

Oh everything felt like a hangover, and it wasn't going well. Tadashi did nurse you back to health successfully, but then, he leftyou with a new kind of sickness you can't seem to overcome on your own.

You clutched on your jacket as the cold only gotten worse inside the church. The warmers and heaters weren't working and everyone wore three times the layers they should have had. This was a new feat to you: getting the chance to enter the church without having to squeeze through the crowd of couples and bystanders. But now that you take a look at it, the number of patrons had decreased significantly since last Friday. Maybe some had gone home to their families, or maybe they just forgot to wake up.

You couldn't help but watch the attendees near and far, as it became a habit from when you always stood at the courtyard. Instead of sitting still and focusing on the priest now that you were inside, you casually observed others in the hopes you might see something juicy about them, and in experience, find that perfect guy while you were at it.

But that perfect guy wish started to feel like a joke after what happened back at your apartment.

The tension and pressure weighed on every muscle in your body as you closed into that one, fateful kiss you wanted to have with Tadashi. You knew you were ready, and you couldn't back down now that you were halfway there. The brush of his breath started to make known on you upper lips, making your hand clench in utter excitement. That was it. The deal breaker, you recalled.

But the phone underneath his palm blared up as it received a call. Before you knew it, your face was flat on the sheets, lips shut tight, and cheeks on fire, while Tadashi, standing away from you, discussed something over the phone as if nothing happened.

So much for tradition, you scoffed, scratching the back of your head as the disappointment and annoyance mixed into your thoughts. He didn't mean to play around with you like that and feel nothing, right? You tried to shed some light, but it only led you to the dark. But in all honesty, you couldn't deny that adrenaline rush you had in those brief moments. Although how much you hated the idea of it just being a game, you loved how it made you feel everything in a matter of seconds.

"Who even made up this legend anyway?"

The question was blurted out through the speakers of the church, breaking the silence in your heart.

"First the Christmas Carols that mislead the youth, and now, a legend that tells you if you complete the nine dawns of the Night Mass, you are granted one wish? That is preposterous!"

Your heart ached as the priest continued harshly and passionately in his sermon.

"That is a lie! A modern lie!" he cried, waving his arm around for emphasis. "Shame on those who came to celebrate Christ for selfish desires! Especially those who had wished to find just to be socially accepted! It will be hard to trust your affections to people other than God. You can never tell what kind they are behind the door..."

You stood up and left for the courtyard. The priest wasn't the type you wanted to hear after last night. You'd rather listen to rocks knocking on each other.

The garden was bathed in darkness and the only light source you could see were distant street lamps. You needed to think it through. Your mind wasn't in the right place, but you know you had to find an answer somewhere. The wish you had since the first day, was that really what you wanted?

You sat on the concrete plant box and rubbed your hands together. After meeting Tadashi, you had more life and laugh in your holidays than ever. Since you decided not to come home to your family, you had to think off your own way to celebrate such a close-knit festive holiday. And that's when Tadashi came into the picture. The reason why you wanted a perfect guy in the first place wasn't to have, flirt, and simply show off to everyone else. No! That was the first time. But now that Christmas was in a few days, the real reason was to fill the lone hole gaping in your heart as you stay behind in your quiet apartment. What could be worse than celebrating the most awaited season of the year with no one but the radio in your room? With Tadashi, his brother and aunt, and his friends, you felt the loneliness never existed beside you in the first place.

The need to find Tadashi was even bigger now. You felt like you needed to tell him. You wanted to tell him. And to thank him and everyone who had been there for you. Whatever happens, you thought, even if Tadashi doesn't return your feelings, you will be happy this season and till the New Year arrived.

Illumination filled your eyes in an instant as you came to your conclusion. The beautiful white, gold, and red shimmering lights turned on at the same time, like the light bulb the came into your head when you finally got an idea.

Just as you turned your head, you saw Tadashi making his way to the gate with his usual comfortable smile. It seemed like he hadn't seen you and he was all by himself. You could feel the excitement build up and your feet took you to him, running eagerly in his direction. But your feet screeched to a stop suddenly. As your clouded vision of love started to fade out from your eyes, the next thing you knew, he had his arms wrapped around a petite lady who was just a few inches taller than him. She had her legs raised and arms around his shoulders, close enough to let her honey blond hair cover his whole face. She giggled as he twirled her on the sidewalk. At that moment, the sound of your heart dropping into a thousand pieces like an ice chandelier rung in your head. You shouldn't be here anymore. And maybe the priest was right. You know nothing about Tadashi behind those doors.

"(name)? Is that you?" you heard him speak as he laid his eyes on you, surprised. He let down the tall lady, who had such a big smile on her face as she fixed her hair.

You didn't even say a word, because your throat had already stopped you. The tears rolled down your cheeks and sparkled from the lights around you, surprising the two who had just arrived. Tadashi approached you and tried to wrap his arms around you, but you knew this was for the best. You pushed his arms away and ran back inside the church. Maybe then you'll see what's left of this once again lonesome Christmas.

For the next 2 more dawns, you wished to have the strength to fight back the loneliness a few more days.


	8. Chapter 8

**December 23rd: Tuesday**

_Theme: 5. Christmas Carols_

The streets, the pavement, the roofs and the windows… everything was blanketed in white. Everything was so pure and cold to the touch, like it came out of those picture-perfect sceneries. But it wasn't enough to cool you down from your thoughts. The look on his face was carved in your memory. The touch of his skin burned on yours. His voice echoed in your mind. And now, you wanted to get it all back, but you just can't.

You twirled the paper cup in your hand around. It was already 9 in the evening but the festive season hadn't gone to sleep. Crowds still walked like it was daytime, holding tight on their lovers and companions as the winter breeze took its course. You, on the other hand, sat outside a cafe nearby your apartment, holding a large cup of coffee and trying to drown the anger and loneliness with caffeine. You didn't bother go to the Lucky Cat anymore. You had convinced yourself no good happened in that place.

"_Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King!"_

The music escaped the café every time its glass doors opened, making you smile a little. A group of kids with their guardians passed by as well, singing their own repertoire of carols. "_Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la, la la la la~!" _the child sang, throwing up his song book in the air. The cheer and the laughs made you feel lighter, but your heart continued to tie you down. There might not be a slightest chance to save Christmas, and most definitely, you've been going to Night Mass for an empty reason. The night was still young for people your age, but you felt like you only wanted to go to sleep and get the holidays over with.

"Where should we go caroling next?" You overheard a goofy –sounding guy ask.

"Hmmm," another sounded, "how about there?"

You heard footsteps coming closer collectively. Oh dear, they were coming to the café. As much as you liked the festive ambience, carolers were the only thing you can't stand. You didn't dare lifted your gaze from the table as you heard some of them preparing to sing. But right before they began, a question was directed to you.

"(name), don't you want to join us?"

You raised your head and saw the people you recently met; they were the people you met through Tadashi. You recalled their names as you stared at them one by one: the one with the beanie was Fred; the taller with good hygiene was Wasabi; and the one you'd be ashamed to forget, was Tadashi's younger brother, Hiro. They were all dressed in Santa outfits and had this peculiar device in their hands; you guessed it was a tablet of some sort. Sensing that they wanted to start, you politely declined and sat close to hear them all sing.

_"O Come All Ye Faithful. Joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him, Born the King of Angels; O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord."_

You were taken back. You didn't expect these three males were good singers. On their faces depicted joyous and emotional faces, blending into every line they sung.

_"Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh. O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way. Bells on bob tails ring, making spirits bright. What fun it is to laugh and sing a sleighing song tonight!"_

Their songs turned from heartfelt and solemn, to upbeat and comedic as Fred reenacted and interpreted the songs. They harmonized like professional choir singers, although you noticed Fred getting a little pitchy whenever he reached the chorus. It was probably because he was exhilarated by the idea of sleighing.

During their performance, a huge giant white robot popped out from behind. Showing pictures of literally the things sung on _the 12 Days of Christmas_. Everyone laughed and had a good time, and apparently, so did you. The robot then went around collecting offered money by the audience into a small red drawstring bag and flashed on his stomach a thank you and a Christmas greeting.

"Don't you wanna tag along, (name)?" Wasabi asked you, fixing up his red velvet pants that seemed to be riding him up. A mixture of doubt and relief spiraled in your mind as you looked at the males who were about to leave. Did they just invite you with them? A girl they barely knew, to join in their fun adventure? You kind of expected them to forget about you since the only bridge that actually connected you was Tadashi. But now that you burned him down, shouldn't there be any communications whatsoever? You duly convinced yourself to stop holding on to his memory, only to forget his friends were a part of it. Hiro noticed you struggling for a reply and so, ended up pulling you out of your chair and taking you with them.

You enjoyed watching the same performance of prayer to antics as your group took stop at establishments. What amazed you most was the robot. He reminded you of a giant walking pillow as he waddled around the audiences, creating a more joyous reaction at the sight of him. You wondered if one of them made that robot.

After making a good round in the area, your group decided to take a break at the nearby park and counted all the money you got. Fred howled at every dollar and clapped at ever coin, only to annoy Wasabi to the edge. You saw Hiro stood away from your group, checking on something with the robot. Out of curiosity, you decided to approach him.

"Did you and Tadashi fight about something?" he turned with a concerned face before you could even say a word. You fell silent as he looked at you, examining every twitch you made, but you simply hung your head low. "He had been pacing around our room lately. Embarrassing to say, but I'm getting worried for him. After coming home this morning, he had been acting strange. More strange than usual."

He patted the robot on the back and asked you to stay with him for a while as he went back to get something for the others. You felt a little uncomfortable looking up to the towering white robot, which silently blinked at you without a word. He was harmless, you thought, but you wondered if it talked. You started walking off to find Hiro to ask but a voice stopped you.

"Wait." You turned around to see the robot facing you. "My name is Baymax, your personal healthcare companion. I was created by Tadashi to help the sick and injured." You blinked at him, dumbfounded. "(name) is your name, correct?" You nodded. "Hiro instructed me to show you this recording."

The screen on his stomach slowly lightened up, surprising you by its high definition. The video showed a male lying on his bed, with his arm covering his eyes. Your heart stopped when you realized who it was.

"I don't get it Baymax," you recognized his husky voice. "I don't understand why she ran off. I didn't do anything wrong! It's… It's weird."

"Would you mind explaining the situation, Tadashi?" the robot spoke off camera.

Tadashi sat up and ruffled his hair. "Honey Lemon just came back from vacation and it was the first time we've seen each other for a while. Gogo was with her to attend the mass. It was a huge coincidence that we'd bump into each other, and it made her really really happy. She hugged me and that's when I saw (name). But then… I saw her crying. I tried to comfort her and ask her what's up, but she just pushed me away and… and then ran off."

"Was she hurt anywhere?"

"There were no signs of physical injury."

"Emotionally?"

"I-I don't know…"

Baymax paused for a good few seconds before asking. "Are you in love with her?"

Tadashi fell back, his blush evident to the robot's eyes. "W-What?! I didn't program you to say that, Baymax!"

"You didn't have to. Your neurotransmitters are elevated and your heart rate is escalated. Was the thought of her made you worry, Tadashi?"

"She's my friend. Of course I'd b—"

"Friendship does not match the diagnosis in my database."

Tadashi fell silent.

"I would like to ask again, Tadashi. Are you in love with her?"

"I… I am, buddy. I suppose I am."

"Updating database. Diagnosis: Increased affection toward (name)."

The video froze on Tadashi's image, shyly admitting the one thing you wanted to here."

Hiro patted you on the back. "You gotta admit, the Hamada brothers sure know how to make a confession!"

For the last dawn before Christmas, you have wished for one thing, and one thing only: to have Tadashi Hamada from that moment on.


	9. Chapter 9

**December 24th: Wednesday**

_Theme: 10. Hot Chocolate_

Did you actually believe your eyes? Did you, an actual expert on heartbreak and rejection, believe that one video his brother showed you would make all your worries melt away like snow? As far as you know, Tadashi did mention Hiro being an expert at fooling people, like that one time with- what was that again- bot fighting? You didn't want to doubt Hiro's intentions and concern after all, but you weren't exactly sure who to turn to now.

The church courtyard was empty, devoid of every human being that used to stand and sleep there. It felt kind of lonely as you sat there at your usual concrete plant box, sipping on the hot chocolate you bought at that café before heading out. You could've gone inside though. The church was actually pretty spacious today. Probably only half of the attendees from the first dawn mass actually reached the whole 9, at least that was you speculating. But that didn't matter now.

Your hands clenched on the paper cup as you watched the snowflakes dance overhead. All these questions and doubts clouded your mind, but you couldn't even say one in particular. Was this love, or was it just a play thing? Is he being serious about that thing he said? Can you ever tell him now that you really wanted to be with him? Can you… Will you… Is he… Oh your head can't process all these emotions on one sitting. With that, you just grunted in frustration, pulling your beanie down to your eyes.

"Hello."

That voice was too sweet for comfort, and it didn't seem to be from someone you know. You peeked from under your head gear and you never felt your feet go so cold easily. You actually felt your face go pale, if that was even possible.

"Can I sit here?"

You nervously nodded, watching her sit close to you.

"I didn't mean to intrude. But I wanted to get to know you, (name)."

She tucked her honey blonde hair behind her fuzzy hot pink ear muffs. You've never seen such a caring smile like hers before. Her eyes shone so innocently, it felt impossible to look away. You tried to recall her name from that 'video.'

"You and Tadashi met not too long ago, right?" she asked.

You nodded, looking down at the ground so she won't see the emotions hiding behind your eyes.

"And you are really close to him, right?"

You reluctantly nodded, unsure if you had liberty to say.

She paused for a moment, sipping in her own cup that looked similar to yours.

"Well, thanks for being honest. I'm getting the clear picture that you do like _like_ him!"

"Stop!" You suddenly retorted, surprising the girl from the reaction. Red had already covered your face, both from the cold and the embarrassment. You were infuriated by your own emotion that you didn't meant to actually snap like that.

"Oh!" she cheered, "did I hit the right button?"

You wanted to push her away, but you couldn't bring yourself to it. The smile on your face became harder to hold back now. The image of Tadashi had already popped up in your mind and how much you wanted to see him that very moment made those feelings worse.

"This is great!" she clasped her hands excitedly. "So everything is like this!"

"How can this be great?" you blurted out. "I… I'm not even sure if he likes me back! Even with that video, I can't even tell which is real or not!"

"What are you talking about? Of course he likes you!" she placed her hand on your shoulder.

"Well, he has—" you realized what you were about say and immediately cut back, "… he has other girls. I'm not worth the shot anyway."

The blonde scooted closer to you, wrapping her arm around your shoulder and rubbing it gently. "Don't put yourself down just yet. You are an amazing, dedicated, and beautiful concoction! One touch from you and Tadashi will explode!"

You giggled from her choice of words, but the worries haven't been lifted yet. You stuttered the question that's been bugging you, nervous if it were ever appropriate to even ask. "Hey, you guys aren't… seeing each other, right?"

The girl blinked, and eventually laughed and laughed until she had to rub her eyes from the tears. "Oh you don't have to worry about me! I'm seeing somebody else!" she fanned her hand at you, dismissing the idea like dark aura. "I didn't mean to give you a bad impression the first time. We're just good friends, and Tadashi's like a brother to me."

Your thoughts have been silenced, and the sound of bells rang inside you. The smile on your face could almost split you in half. Out of relief, you hugged her tightly, passing all the pent-up affection and emotion into her petite form. She hugged you back with the same force, wrapping her longer arms around you. Finally, you have been released from the restraint over his memories. And after all, you might make even more.

"Say, you got that from that café a few blocks from here, right?" she asked as you let go and sipped on your drink. The look on your eyes confirmed to her inquiry. "We should go there sometime! Oh, and we could invite everyone else! You've gotta try this tea! It is superb!"

You wiped your lips with your snow-covered gloves. "What flavor is that?"

"Honey Lemon."

You smiled at each other, feeling the growing bond intertwine with emotions. The dawn was getting better after all, and it only became official when you heard the conclusion of the priest's sermon and applause from over the speakers.

"… For every ending is its own beginning. Congratulate yourselves! You have completed the 9 Nightly Mass!"

* * *

**December 24th: Wednesday, **_Christmas Eve_

_Theme: 12. Wreath_

You weren't sure which was more exciting: Christmas Day or Christmas Eve. Songs and carols blasted at every speaker you ever passed by and random citizens gave out food to anyone they see. You didn't complain much since they sure do give out delicious dishes most of the time.

The city was alive and jumping as the night deepened. Children went caroling. Adults were meeting with their friends. And people your age, well, they try to make the most out of tonight. Honey Lemon texted you to meet with her at the nearby park. After finding out how your holidays need some plans in them, she invited you out with here. But she didn't exactly give out where you should wait, and just mentioned something about circles and greens.

You walked idly at the park, watching and gazing at people who seemed to be having a better time than you. "Where could she be?" you questioned, looking at your watch and turning at every direction. All of the sudden, a ring swished through you from the head, clutching your sides with its itchy, green, synthetic leaves. You screamed as you struggled to break free, only to be dragged along by someone.

"F-Fred?!" you shouted, trying to fold your elbows to snag the male off his grip on the wreath. "What are you doing?!"

Fred snickered in reply, "A Christmas miracle!"

"What?!"

You squinted your eyes at the place Fred brought you. A lake reflected the darkness and the light of the night. Nature looked like stars of different sizes and colors formed their shapes and silhouettes. And there, right in the middle of the plaza stood a giant golden Christmas tree made of long Christmas lights, with a majestic 8-point star sitting on the top.

"Happy trails, my good friend!" Fred lastly bid before pushing you into underneath the golden structure. You yelped in both anger and shock until you hit someone right on your constraint.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"

The sound of you voice was caught by the impulse of your sight.

"Tadashi…"

Tadashi sheepishly smiled at you, trying to wave from under his own set of wreath traps.

"H-Hey, (name)."

Once again, all different kinds of emotions started bubbling up inside you. You clenched your fists as you took the courage to speak, only to start right at the same time.

"You go first," he offered with a wistful smile.

You cleared your throat and exhaled. "I want to apologize about the other day. I didn't mean to act like that in front of you and Honey. I was just surprised and it was my… first reaction to it."

Tadashi shook his head. "No no, you shouldn't. I should be the one apologizing. I should've introduced you to all of them than surprising you like this."

But you disagreed as you wanted to take the blame. Tadashi did so too and sided with himself being at fault. As you continued to bicker and eventually laugh it all off, the wreaths started to slide down and release the two of you from captivity, making the both of you smile. Tadashi slowly approached you and reached for your hand, affectionately caressing it.

"I think we should start again."

You shook your head. "No need. Where we begun was already enough."

"9 nights ago?" he smiled at you.

"Yeah. I'm glad I met you, Tadashi."

"Ditto. I guess wishing on those dawns and going to church was worth it, wasn't it?"

"What?!" you were dumbfounded.

He chuckled. "You think I didn't know? Most people our age don't last long at Dawn masses like that!"

You shrugged, giving him a sly look. "Is that why you skipped out on it?"

He pumped out his chest haughtily, "I've duly completed my 9 masses, for your information."

"Oh yeah? Then what did you wish for?"

"Nothing. I just came by for the mass."

"What? Really?"

"Yeah. Because I didn't expect 9 nights ago, my wish was already granted."

"Are you guys shaking things up there?"

The two of you shuddered from the loud, laughable shout. You turned to see a young Hamada grinning from ear to ear as he videotaped you.

"Hiro shut that off!" Tadashi yelled as he chased his brother out into the distance.

For the last day before the awaited holiday, you couldn't wish for anything else than the company of your new-found friends.


	10. Chapter 10

**December 25th: Thursday**

_Theme: 17. Ornaments_

"This is as horrifying as it's going to get."

Tadashi's friend, Gogo, cursed under her voice.

"Get into the Christmas spirit, Gogo! We all look amazing!" Honey Lemon skipped around the café, making her fluffy skirt bounce around with her.

Gogo turned to you with a deadpan expression. "Are we really going to do this?"

You nodded as you flattened your own fluffy skirt and tried hard not cry over these circumstances.

Cass turned out to be a strict and scary person, you remembered. After last night's endeavors, you all went out and had a good time, forgetting the fact that even if Hiro was your colleague, he was still a minor. At around dawn, you all came to the Lucky Cat café, finding the agitated aunt waiting at the front door. Everyone was practically frightened by her, seeing that she had eaten most of the food on sale and her eyes were like of a demon.

As a result of probably the best night of your life, everyone had to work in for her today. No one complained about the sudden labor, since everyone did felt a little guilty, but she managed to put everyone on edge with the outfit… and the special theme for the day. Who knew meeting all of them made your Christmas into a punishment?

Gogo's hand shook, obviously restraining herself from shredding that awkward headpiece of the 'new uniform.' You and Gogo stood there watching Honey Lemon take selfies at ever corner of the decorated café. You tried small talk for a few moments, but Gogo said she'd like to condition herself first with the punishment. You two came off as good friends.

"Okay okay~ Photo!" Honey Lemon pulled the two of you for a picture. As the camera snapped, a voice came out from behind.

"You sure are chummy for people who just met."

You turned around to find the most dashing sight you've ever seen. Fred, Wasabi, Hiro, Tadashi—the males of this group were all wearing tuxedos and gloves, and their hair were all neatly combed and styled with gel.

"Oh goodness," Honey blurted out, snapping a photo of them as well.

"Do I rock the butler outfit or what!" Fred exclaimed, punching the air and nearly hitting Wasabi on the face.

"You don't look so bad too, Wasabi. Kinda suits your build," Gogo commented after scoffing.

"I am more concerned about the fact its winter and you three are wearing… red maid outfits!" Wasabi said as he fixed his cuffs.

Hiro was fixing the cute ribbon around his collar when he noticed you haven't said a word. Your mouth was agape as you stared from head to toe one particular male. With a laugh, he gently closed your mouth. "Take a picture. It'll last longer."

You shook your head, trying to divert your eyes to other things than Tadashi, who was handcombing his smooth black hair. "I-I wasn't staring I swear!" You defended when you dropped your gaze to the younger brother. "Hey, you look really good today Hiro!"

"Well he should," Tadashi spoke up as he approached you. "It took a while to fix his messy hair because he was culturing dead animals under those locks." You playfully gasped and looked at Hiro. But Hiro just punched Tadashi and left.

"It's like I don't know you, Tadashi," you said, getting a quizzical look from him.

"What do you mean? It's still me."

You giggled. "Yeah I know. It's just kind of sad not seeing your baseball cap on."

"I'd be the first butler to ever have a baseball cap on!"

"Oh you'd probably earn the most if you have that."

A few moments later, Cass called a meeting, explaining your jobs for today and reminding to try and stay in character. Plus, she mentioned that you shouldn't be enjoying it because it was a punishment after all.

"I should be watching my back too today," Tadashi spoke from out of the blue, making you turn to him. "I can't let other guys win you over just because of that outfit. I know they won't resist you."

Later on, café hours started. All of you worked in unison as the day crawled into the night. You and Honey Lemon would sometimes bump into each other, she intentionally pointing out that Tadashi had been staring at you for a while. You lightly pushed her away and tried to ignore it, but the look on her face stood out too much you can't just hide your blush anymore. You'd notice too that Hiro would sometimes whisper into Tadashi's ear, and the older brother would simply swat him away, covering his face as his ears turned red.

As the clock struck closing time, you all sprawled out on the now empty café, panting and removing some of the uniform's accessories. The special 'butler-and-maid' theme had been a success, and maybe a little too much. According to Cass, who was exhilarated and had kissed everyone on the cheek after congratulating each, the tenants had loved the idea of having a special theme every now and then. They even suggested many other themes for the group to do, but you were all too tired to hear all of it. And then, out of the blue, Cass brought out a whole buffet of Christmas feast from the upper floor. No wonder she had been missing the whole day.

As they all prepared to eat, you excused yourself to get some fresh air for a while. You took your coat and headed outside, failing to notice someone was looking at you as you left.

The night was cold and crisp; the streets buzzed with jolliness and love. Christmas lights danced at every corner and laughter and cheer sounded everywhere. You looked up to find the starry sky, snowing little ice crystals down on you.

"You shouldn't stay out here too long. You might catch a flu again."

And, as if on cue, Tadashi stood next to you under the winter night.

"Good job surviving today," he smiled as he looked up.

"You too. I saw all the girls throwing themselves at you and they couldn't wait for you anymore," you joked.

"Oh yeah? The guys didn't stop checking you out, so we're the same rank." He laughed as he wrapped his scarf tighter on his neck.

There was a comfortable silence as you both gazed up at the stars, searching for something only the unknown could answer. You could feel your heart slowly calming to its normal beating, realizing how far you've gone since the first dawn. You sighed as your emotions have finally been contented.

"Say," Tadashi said. "What was your wish this Christmas?"

You blinked at his question, and your heartbeat spiked up again to its flustered thumps. You gripped your coat as you thought of an answer. Why does Tadashi have to keep you guessing like this?

"My wish…" you whispered, "was to feel better about myself."

"Oh?" The enlightened look on his face made it harder for you to explain.

"Y-Yeah. I've been feeling lonely lately and, I didn't know how or to whom should I express my feelings." You hung your head, feeling the emotions could just burst any minute. "It was difficult to keep all my thoughts bottled up inside me; that it made me feel like I was going to implode or something." You looked away, your eyes starting to water. "I-I'm just so glad… all of you came along." Sniffles came to you as you tried hard to wipe all the trailing tears. Suddenly, you felt a hand clasp onto yours.

Tadashi turned you to him and gave you a warm hug, whispering into your ears. "You shouldn't forget. You're part of the nerd group now." You giggled under your shallow breath. As you let go, Tadashi surprised you with a kiss on the cheek. The hot red blush shot up and heated your whole face.

"Oh and remember: I'm not giving up on you."

Out of the blue, soft, round arms enveloped the both of you and pulled you into a tight embrace. You looked up to find a familiar white robot, resting his head on Tadashi. You felt a warming source from his stomach.

"You two might get cold if you stay out here too long," Baymax said.

"We have enough heat in here Baymax, thank you." Tadashi laughed.

As Baymax stood up, different kinds of ornaments painted on him started to glisten and sparkle, leaving the two of you wondering, at the same time astonished.

"Baymax said he wanted to get into the Christmas Spirit!" Hiro shouted from a distance.

The two of you turned to find everyone watching you both, smiling and some, shivering from the unexpected cold.

"Well then, what are we waiting for? We have Christmas to celebrate." Tadashi offered his hand to you and lead you back into the café.

For this holiday, Christmas day, your wishes- not just one- have been granted: to fight back the loneliness in your heart, to enjoy the company of your new friends, and most of all: to have Tadashi Hamada, the perfect guy who seemed to show his flaws in cute ways. It seemed like things are going to shake up for you from then on.

_**~The End~**_

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A/N: Thank you for reading 9 Dawns before Christmas! I hope you enjoyed the story all the way through the end, and feel all the feels Tadashi had to put up in this fanfic! You guys have been amazing supporters! (.◜ω◝.)

If you'd be interested, I have another Tadashi fanfic up! Check it out if you like! ^^

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and a merry Christmas! Thanks again! :)


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